Folding table



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W. MACOMBER.

FOLDING TABLE. No. 545,603. Patented Sept. 3, 1895.'

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W. MACOMBERY.

FOLDING TABLE. 1 v

No. 545,603.. Patented Sept. 3,1895.

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(No Model.) 7 3 SheetsSheet 3.

W. MAOOMBER. FOLDING TABLE. No. 545,603. Patented Sept. 3,1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MAOOMBER, on BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IFOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,603, dated September 3, 1895.

Application filed November 30, 1894. Serial No. 530,307. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MACOMBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, Erie county, New York, have invented a new and useful Folding Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Referring to the drawings herewith, consisting of three sheets, in which like letters refer to like parts, Figure I is a side elevation. Fig. II is a vertical central cross-section at right angles to Fig. I. Fig. III is a similar view showing the table folded or closed. Figs. IV and V are detail views of one of the cleats, showing the inner and lower sides, respectively.

B is thebase, which may be made in any desired form. A longitudinal mortise is situated centrally, as shown at G. This mortise in length equals the base-width of the standards, as hereinafter described, and in width equals the combined thickness of the two standards.

A and A are the standards, which may be made in any desired form. These standards together fit within the mortise G of the base B, and are hinged thereto respectively by hinges F F. The inner lower faces of these standards are beveled, as shown at no a, for the purposes hereinafter more fully described. One of these standards (and the one marked A in the drawings) is pivoted to the two transverse cleats D D. These cleats are rigidly secured to the top 0 of the table. A pivot-rod E is employed to secure the standard A to the cleats D D, as shown in Fig. I. This rod may be replaced by belts or screws, but I find the rod a simple and very durable form of construction. Therod, as shown, is the length of the width of the top of the standard plus the combined thickness of the cleats. The standard A is pivoted to said cleats at a point distant from their centers equal to one-half of the spread of the standards, which is determined by the bevels a a of the standards A A or by the blocks d d, or both, according as one or the other, or both, are used. The pivotal point is distant from the upper face of the cleat a distance equal to the thickness of one standard and half of the other. This is determined so as to allow the top to shut down closely against the stand ards, as shown in Fig. III.

Equidistant from the centers of the cleats are cut blind notches, as clearly shown in Figs. IV and V. These have a position similarly determined with the ,pivotal points at the opposite ends of the cleats and are cut upwardly an equal distance and transversely to a depth of substantially one-half the thickness of the cleat, as shown in Figs. IV and V.

The standard A carries a rod E, like the rod E, except that it is shorter, being the width of the standard plus one-half the combined thickness of the cleats D D, and therefore affords projecting ends which [it into the blind notches of the cleats.

That the table may be folded, a second pairof blind notches is necessary, as shown at b,

Figs. IV andV. These are made in substantially the shape shown in the drawings and permit the projections of the rod E to be inclosed within the cleats D D when the table is folded.

In operation, suppose the table to be folded as shown in Fig. III, the top is first raised to a horizontal position, and more (swinging upon the pivots E) until the ends of the rod E are freed from the notches 17. (See Fig. II.)

Then the standards are spread until their interior lower faces a and a comein contact, which limits further spreading, and the blind notches c engage with the projecting ends of the rod E. The gaging of the spread of the standards should be a small fraction less than the distance between the pivots E and the notches cof the cleats, so that when the standards are spread so that the ends of the rod E engage in the notches c the beveled faces a a will be held up snugly together. It is apparent that when the table is thus opened the standards A and A together form a solid pedestal. The hinges F F and the contact of the beveled faces a a hold the standards against movement in any direction, and therefore a stable, inverted, isoceles triangle is formed by the standards and the cleats. In

cases where the height of the table or thickness of standards or base require it, I place blocks d d, secured to the base D, with an interior angular inclination corresponding to that of the standards, which act as braces when the table is opened, thus taking part of the strain from the beveled faces a a and at the same time render the more accurate the equality of inclination of the standards, and consequently insuring horizontality of the top of the table. WVhere the construction permits I may employ larger and stronger blocks d d and dispense with the beveled faces a a without departing from the spirit of my invention. To close the table, the top is raised slightly to free the projecting ends of the rod E from the notches c in the cleats. The two standards are then brought together and, perforce, into a vertical and parallel position. drops down, turning upon the pivots and allowing the euds of the rod E to slip within the notches b. When thus completely folded, the top and cleats hold the standards close together, and thus rigidity is secured.

As my invention is capable of a wide application it is susceptible of much modification of design, and in the drawings I have shown the most simple construction, and therefore in no wise limit myself in my claims to any specific design.

Having thus described my invention in a folding table, what I claim is-- 1. Two vertical standards engaging with a base and hinged thereto, beveled interior faces to limit the spread of said standards, transverse cleats and a top, said cleats being pivoted to one of said standards and engaging with the other, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a base with two vertical standards hinged thereto, a top, transverse cleats secured thereto and pivoted to one of said standards and engaging with the other, the lower ends of said standards extending below the hinge point and having their interior lower faces beveled to limit and equalize the spread of said standards, said standards and said cleats forming a stable, inverted, isosceles triangle having its apex rigid with said base, as set forth.

3. A base, two vertical standards hinged thereto, a top, and transverse cleats pivoted to one of said standards and engaging with the other, and blocks or stops rigidly secured The top then to said base to limit and equalize the spread of said standards, substantially as set forth.

4. Two vertical standards hinged to a base. and having an equal and limited spreading action, a top, transverse cleats secured thereto, a pivot or rod pivoting said cleats to one of said standards, projections upon the other of said standards and two pairs of blind notches in said cleats, the one pair engaging said projections when the table is open to hold it rigid, and the other pair engaging said projections when the table is folded to hold said standards parallel and rigid, for the purposes set forth.

5. A base, two vertical standards, a mortise or slot within said base, hinges engaging said base and standards, blocks or stops secured to said base to limit and equalize the spread of said standards, interior beveled faces upon said standards, a top, transverse cleats secured thereto, a rod pivoting one of said standards to said cleats, projections upon the other of said standards, two pairs of notches in said cleats, the one pair taking over said projections when the table is open and the other taking over said projections when said table is folded, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A base B, having a mortise G, and blocks cl, standards A and A, hinges F, F, a top C, secured to cleats D, D, cleats D, D, pivoted to standard A and engaging with standard A, as set forth.

7. A base B, hinged to standards A, A, a I

top 0, cleats D, D, a pivot-rod E, pivoting said cleats to said standard A, a rod E, blind notches c, engaging the ends of the rod E when the table is open and blind notches b engaging the ends of said rod E when the table is closed, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM MACOMBER.

Witnesses: I

J. O. ALMENDINGER, Gus. SOHRERER, Jr. 

